Newswise — Like all institutions in the University of California system, UC San Diego values diversity and champions an environment that encourages academic success of its students.
As part of the university’s ongoing efforts to increase the diversity of its student body and faculty, and in response to a series of overtly racist incidents that took place recently, steps are being taken to improve the campus climate at UC San Diego and throughout the UC system.
“We want all students to know that racism will not be tolerated in our community,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. “We have taken actions to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome. In addition, by introducing new admissions programs and other outreach tools allowable within the constraints of Prop. 209, we hope to encourage more first-generation and underrepresented students to enroll. These actions complement activities already underway that build on UC San Diego’s overall commitment to increasing diversity on campus.”
Members of the senior leadership team at UC San Diego are working closely with students and faculty to forge a way forward. Together, they have defined common goals and actions that will enhance diversity on the campus and in the curriculum.
“I appreciate Chancellor Fox’s efforts to improve the conditions on campus,” State Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) noted at a community forum held Saturday on campus. “UC San Diego has taken a lot of actions, and we need to acknowledge them and see how they make a difference for the student body.” Actions taken by UC San Diego will complement ongoing efforts to promote diversity and foster an open and welcoming environment. Campus officials are also meeting with alumni and leaders in the San Diego African-American community to devise long-range action plans that will have a sustained impact on the university’s diversity efforts. In all activities, UC San Diego is working closely with Special Advisor Christopher Edley, dean of the Boalt School of Law at UC Berkeley and a widely respected authority on civil rights issues.
“This (addressing racism) is not rocket science. This is harder than rocket science,” said Edley at today’s UC Board of Regents meeting. “UC San Diego has pulled together a dizzying and quite effective list of initiatives. They have done a great job and I give them a solid ‘A’.”
Chancellor Fox will be instituting accountability mechanisms to ensure strategic and effective implementation of recommended diversity initiatives, including quarterly reports to the University of California Office of the President, the campus community and the public.
Following are details of some of the various recommendations that the campus has implemented, or has agreed to implement, in addition to existing programs:
Fiscal Year 2009-2010
* Implemented: The Academic Senate Committee on Admissions agreed to expand student representation on the Committee of Admissions to include a student from the Student Affirmative Action Committee (SAAC) community. * Implemented: Permanent funds will be used to hire program coordinators for the African American Studies Minor (AASM) and Chicano/a Latino/a Arts and Humanities (CLAH) Minor, and the funds will remain in place for a minimum of three years. The CLAH position is currently filled, and the AASM position has been posted to the UC San Diego job bulletin. * Implemented: In addition to diversity initiatives in each of the six Colleges, the Provosts have endorsed promoting the understanding of the importance of diversity through curricular requirements and have agreed to take a recommendation for a campus-wide requirement to their respective faculty for approval. * Agreed: Meet with interested students and faculty to review and evaluate the Comprehensive and Holistic Review approaches for evaluating applicants to remove barriers to access to higher education for historically underrepresented minorities. * Agreed: Fund Black Student Union (BSU)-initiated yield programs to increase the diversity of the undergraduate student body. Funding will begin this year and be guaranteed for three years, subject to normal university and state accounting and accountability requirements. * Agreed: Work with interested faculty members to determine feasibility of creating an Organized Research Unit (ORU) or Center related to African American, Chicano and Native American-indigenous communities * Agreed: Include SAAC membership on the Task Force to Promote the Recruitment, Support and Retention of Underrepresented Faculty.
* Agreed: A review of the Student Code of Conduct was already underway; now members of the SAAC community will be invited to participate on the committee rewriting the code requiring students to adhere to the Principles of Community to the maximum extent permitted by the First Amendment.
* Agreed: Work with SAAC organizations to identify appropriate places on campus for the display of outdoor and/or indoor, permanent and/or rotating art representative of underrepresented minority communities.
* Agreed: Discuss with the Stuart Foundation about including student representation from the SAAC community on the Stuart Collection Advisory Committee, as well as increasing efforts to include U.S. minority artists in the Collection. * Agreed: The Provost of Sixth College will be urged to consider the proposal to replace the traditional College naming process with a campus-wide vote. The Chancellor will recommend that the Provost consider naming Sixth College for an individual from an underrepresented minority community. * Agreed: Meet with SAAC students to determine details for African American, Native American and Chicano Resource Centers, and assess patterns of use for these resources. * Agreed: Continue to engage the Kumeyaay Cultural Repatriation Committee, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the UC San Diego faculty in seeking resolution to the disposition of human remains found as a result of University House excavation efforts. * Agreed: A development officer will be charged with the responsibility to work with the SAAC community to find and sustain private support for student-led yield activities; expansion of the Summer Bridge student academic support and leadership development program; funding the African American Studies Minor and Chicano/a Latino/a Arts and Humanities Minor; and support of indoor and/or outdoor, permanent and/or rotating art on campus.
Fiscal Year 2010-2011
* Agreed: Match funds from student fees for Student Promoted Access Center for Education and Service (SPACES), where students collaborate to achieve greater educational equity. The funding will be guaranteed for a minimum of three years. * Agreed: Ensure continued supplemental funding for the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS), a learning center at UC San Diego, for the 2010-11 academic year; also expand funding for the Summer Bridge program to support 15 additional students (135 total for this summer). * Agreed: The Chancellor will establish a new Campus Climate Commission. The SAAC community will have a central role in drafting the Commission’s charge and will be consulted about the membership of the committee. The Commission will examine the campus climate and the University’s diversity-related efforts to create action plans to be implemented by the campus. * Agreed: The Office of the Chief Diversity Officer plays a critical role in promoting diversity on the campus; resources in addition to the Chief Diversity Officer, a full-time diversity officer and a 50 percent-time diversity officer shall be explored. * Agreed: Further promote the importance of adherence to the Principles of Community on campus, such as researching the possibility of asking all students, faculty and staff to sign a document acknowledging that they have read and understood the Principles. Also consider including the Principles of Community in the admissions process and further promote the Principles of Community during College orientations.
Fiscal Year 2011-2012
* Agreed: Take action to extend the exhibition of the Chicano Legacy mural to June 2012 to allow time for the necessary actions, including securing maintenance funds, so the mural can be made permanent.
Ongoing
* Agreed: Work to diversify the graduate student applicant pool and induct more members into the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, which promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate. * Agreed: Identify suitable naming opportunities for colleges and buildings, and review the naming processes required by university policy.
As Funding Becomes Available
* Agreed: Reactivate six unfilled faculty positions dedicated to African Diaspora, Indigenous Studies or California Cultures and allocate three new faculty positions over the next three years for hires that will enhance diversity for a total of nine new faculty positions.
“We know that there is still much work to do,” added Fox. “Racism has been a stain on the American experience for centuries. While it may be impossible to permanently stamp out racism in all its forms, we are committed and confident that we can effect lasting, positive change at UC San Diego.
Edley agreed, “Even the worst of times can lead to growth. I feel the future is bright at UC San Diego.”
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